Summoning was always the hardest, namely because it took so much energy to do so, however, when one has the drive that the Drifters had, nothing was impossible. They all closed their eyes and Virginia held the sacred rune to her heart.

“Guardian of Love, please hear our plea! Our beloved friend has fallen ill and we ask with all of heart for you to heal him and caress him with your loving hands so that he may see again!”

The first thing they heard was the flapping of wings and then the warm, soothing, breeze that followed.

“Dear children, there is no need to close your eyes, open them, and look upon me fully and lovingly, for I am here to protect you and love you!”

They slowly opened their eyes and looked at her, some gawking at her flowing blond hair and snow white wings. Her pink and white dressed fluttered in the breeze that she created with her wings and her clear blue eyes shined with love.

“One among you cannot use his eyes to see the beauty of love…” She flew closer to Gallows and caressed his face.

“Poor child, poor, sweet, child.” she said, lovingly.

Gallows’ eyes didn’t respond to her light or her beauty.

Jet was starting to feel jealous, again.

Why does he get all the attention? No. NO! I will not fall for this again!

“Can you help him, Raftina?” he asked, trying to be as respectful as he could whilst trying to control his impatience.

“I do not know, child.”

Child? I am no child!

“I can sense your impatience and can read your thoughts. Let me say this: We Guardians are eternal, we know not time, death, or impatience. To us, you are all children. Even the wisest and oldest are still pups to us. Don’t be so hasty in your thoughts…”

Jet said nothing and looked down at the darkness.

“Sorry.”

“Now, as for healing your friend, I said I didn’t know because there is still hatred amidst and it is hard to heal with love when there is a barrier of hatred still in effect. If you all can learn to love one another and forgive one another’s transgressions, then perhaps I can heal him, until then I fear that I can do nothing.”

With those words spoken she disappeared in a barrage of light and feathers and they found themselves standing on a mixture of sand and grass.

“Hatred…” whispered Gallows.

“Can’t heal?” said Jet, looking down at the ground.

“Love…?” asked Virginia, looking around at the rest of her crew.

“I thought we had all of those things.” said Clive, looking around with Virginia.

“You! I can’t stand you! You took my friend his sight all because you’re an insecure ass hole that looks out for number one! You don’t give a flying fuck what happens to other unless you have something to gain from it. Love? What the hell? Damn straight I fucking hate you! While we’re being open and chatty, why not just have some fun! Gallows, what do you think of Jet?”

There was a long beat.

“I love him. Yes, what he did was shitty and yes I am still angry, but you must understand he did it because he’s broken. He did it out of spite, true enough, but what was whispered in his ear was his own insecurities. Virginia, I know it’s hard, but try not to hate him. This may seem selfish, but I’m going to say it anyway, if I’m going to see again I need love. Everyone must love one another.”

Virginia said nothing but glared at him.

“Virginia, Gallows is right. We don’t have to forgive him, but we shouldn’t hate him. He did what he did because he found it necessary and, perhaps at the time, the right thing to do; you’re justified in your anger but not your hatred. Let it out if you must, but if Gallows is going to see, then we must do what we can.”

“Listen, I need some time to calm down. Gallows, can I speak with you for a moment?” Virginia asked, grabbing his hand and taking him behind a blooming tree.

“Virginia, what’s wrong?”

“Sit down and I’ll tell you.”

Gallows, while confused, did what he was told. Virginia sat down beside him and leaned her face close to his. He couldn’t see, but he could feel her breath against his face.

“I hate Jet, but I love you. I’ve always loved you and I always will.”

She cradled his face between her hands.

“If you don’t believe me…” she pressed her lips against his briefly.

Gallows blinked.

“Virginia I…” She let go of his face and sat down beside him.

“Yes?”

“I hated Jet for the longest time. Still bitter towards him, but no longer hate him.”

“Huh? Why? “

“Because he was everything I was not: beautiful, collected, and a bit calloused whereas I was not beautiful nor handsome, overly passionate and obstinate, and a flirtatious man. I wanted him to feel pain and that night at the bar I was more than willing to give him just that and then some. And when I lost my sight I nearly died. I was given two options: To stay where I was, which was essentially limbo, or come back to you, blind. Well…” he laughed sadly.

“You see me in front of you, blind as a bat.”

“Gallows, I never knew…”

“Virginia, I love you more than words can tell. I could lose all my sense and my love for you would be strong enough to carry me through whatever life threw at me. Yes, I miss my sight, but…” he reached to his side and slid his hand around her face until he found her cheek.

“I can still touch you and smell you…and…” He moved his hand from her face and kissed her cheek.

Virginia had nothing to say to that, all she could do was cry. Crying because he loved her enough to forego his sight, crying because her hatred of Jet prolonging Gallows’ suffer, and crying because she felt so weak.

“Hey now.” he kissed the tears from her cheeks. “Don’t cry. It’ll work out in the end.”

Virginia sniffed and then smiled.

“Really?”

“Would I lie to you?”

“Nope.”

“Then no more tears, okay?”

Virginia nodded, her smile widening.

“Okay.” she said, wiping away her tears.

“Until you can love Jet, love will be blind but not forgotten. Remember that.”

“Love is blind but not forgotten…” whispered Jet as he watched the two lovers.

“All my fault.” he said a bit louder.

My child, just wait. Love conquers all. Virginia will love you when you learn to forgive yourself for what you did. Admit to her your love by overcoming your pride. Do this and she will love you, too. Don’t give into Reason again, give into your true heart, your true self.